Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In

We've got a barn-burner for you today, but first, let's look back at where we are in our first round matchups:

parking madness 2019_dc pike

We've closed the polls on some earlier matchups, with Houston narrowly defeating Boston, Pittsburgh also squeaking by Portland, and Providence absolutely destroying Austin (we suppose that happens when an entire city is completely reimagined rather than just a developer building a nice building on a former parking crater).

But those earlier battles were just prologue for today's matchup featuring a neighborhood in our nation's capital against a piece of the heartland. Here goes:

DC-Pike

This entry comes from Friend of Streetsblog Maren Hill, who told us about the development of Pike & Rose, a new mixed-use neighborhood on the Rockville Pike in the DC suburb of Montgomery County:

The area was formerly a strip mall but has been redeveloped with pedestrian scale streets, public parks and artwork, and squares with street furniture and events. The area now includes condos and apartments, bars, restaurants, and retail (both chain and local), and offices, The building architecture is all unique so it doesn't look like some creepy model city project, it looks like an attractive walkable neighborhood.  Pike & Rose is on Metro, and has nearby existing and planned bike infrastructure.

Hill added that the neighborhood is "a great example of the suburbs doing transit oriented mixed-use redevelopment not infill development to transform their parking craters." The photos below tell the story:

Pike and Rose before and after
Indianapolis

This one comes to us from reader Austin Gibble, who called his Indianapolis submission a "most improved parking crater" and provided aerial and streetview imagery from 2014 and 2018.

"The additions include a transit center, a 28-story residential tower with a grocery store, apartments attached to the side of what was a single-use parking garage, and other mixed-use developments," Gibble said.

Indianapolis Streetview 2014
Indianapolis Streetview 2018
Indianapolis Aerial 2014
Indianapolis Aerial 2018

So who will move on? Vote below:

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

‘We’re Not Copenhagen’ Is No Excuse Not to Build a Great Biking And Walking City

A team of researchers identified eight under-the-radar cities leading the local active transportation revolution — and a menu of strategies that other communities can and should steal.

June 30, 2025

Monday’s Headlines, Ranked

New reports rank the best cities for biking and the best complete streets policies. Plus, the robotaxi wars have begun.

June 30, 2025

Washington State Is About To Have the First Pro-‘Woonerf’ Law in America

Washington state is making it legal for cities to have people-centered streets in a first-in-the-nation law.

June 30, 2025

Friday’s Headlines Are Doomed

Philadelphia transit is falling off the fiscal cliff, with other major cities not far behind. And the effects of service cuts on their economies could be brutal.

June 27, 2025

Talking Headways Podcast: Why We Need ‘Universal Basic Mobility’

In a very special podcast, we’re joined by the great Madeline Brozen of UCLA to talk about how guaranteed transit lowers people's stress.

June 26, 2025
See all posts